The charming funny successor to the hugely popular ' Notes to my Mother-in-Law' from the inimitable Phyllida Law. When her Uncle Arthur dies actress Phyllida Law returns to the tiny Scottish village of Ardentinny to look after her ma Mego. Mego's always been deliciously dotty. She once put a new packet of tights in the fridge (and the bacon in her sock drawer). But Mego's older now & becoming ever more muddled. So Phyllida devotes herself to looking after Mego but not without the help of friends local villagers & her two daughters actresses Emma & Sophie Thompson: pulling together they maintain order in the cottage find Delia on the telly & keep Mego's spirits up-with a G&T if all else fails. Somehow Phyllida even manages to slip away on acting jaunts in Glasgow & Italy. Running through Phyllida's account of Mego's final months are the anecdotes memories & legends that form the fabric of every family. Phyllida's account captures the warmth & tenderness of two generations of daughters brought together to care for their much-loved mother & grandmother. ...

Here is a fresh approach to early number concepts. This fun activity book is a perfect way to help children understand quantities rather than just reciting them in order. It helps with the recognition of numerals & words & what they stand for. An activity book to be shared by adults & children which can also be enjoyed by early readers. ...

In recent years economic growth has been regarded as a self-evident good with political debate focussed on the best means to achieve it. But there are now signs that this shared assumption is weakening. Anger at 'greedy' bankers & their 'obscene' bonuses has given way to a deeper dissatisfaction with an economic system geared overwhelmingly to the accumulation of wealth. Huge income disparities & an ever-growing gap between the richest & the rest has brought us to one of those rare moments when the underlying assumptions of society are changing. In How Much is Enough?" Robert & Edward Skidelsky argue that wealth is not an end in itself but a means to the achievement & maintenance of a 'good life' & that our economy should be organised to reflect this fact. The book

Includes:: a definition of the 'good life' discusses the relevance of ' Happiness Studies' & the environmental impact of our ever-growing need to consume. In doing so it offers an escape from the trap of excessive specialization & a way to reinvigorate the idea of economics as a 'moral science'. It concludes by offering a radical new model for income redistribution
- & a consideration of what human beings might really want from their lives."


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Did you know that squirrels cant see the colour red? That Walt Disney the creator of Mickey Mouse was afraid of mice? That only 30 per cent of humans can flare their nostrils? Or that every year the average person eats 438 bugs by mistake? Let Mitchell Symons be your guide into the weird & wonderful world of totally useless trivia! ...

How Music Works is an unparalleled account of a life in music & an explanation of how & why music works from one of the world's most accomplished performers. With his albums for Talking Heads his work with Brian Eno or his solo output David Byrne has been consistently at the forefront of musical
- & artistic
- innovation. In this extraordinary book Byrne explores why the past matters & what the future might bring. From personal accounts of devising & performing his most famous work to an exploration of the possibilities of new technologies Byrne discovers that artistic creation is less about an internal creative spark than we thought & more about external factors such as history architecture & technology. The universe of music follows broad & basic evolutionary patterns-as does birdsong to take one example. It seems the will only triumphs if the context is amenable just as in Darwinian adaptation. What we hear is determined by what we want to hear by what can be heard & by the circumstances that allow it to come into being.""

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A fresh new look brings this parenting classic up-to-date for a new generation of mothers & mothers-to-be. Taking an irreverent & humorous look at the trials & tribulations of motherhood Radio 4s Libby Purves has created an invaluable survival guide so that even the most unpromising madonna can cope with the baby years. This is a parenting book with a difference- rather than a serious tome laying down the law Libby Purves lighthearted book shamelessly describes how to cut the corners & bend the rules that never mattered much anyway. Forget the other parenting books that hide the real truth- this is the true battle manual for mothers on the front line! This timeless guide to coping with motherhood has been revised bringing it up-to-date for a whole new generation of mothers & mothers-to-be. Based on Libby Purves own experience of domestic havoc with two babies & on the wit & wisdom of fifty like-minded mothers this motherhood companion guide is full of down-to-earth tips & hilarious anecdotes. Topics covered include pregnancy preschoolers sibling fights fraught outings nannies & careers. This is an invaluable guide to being an imperfect mother- & more importantly enjoying it. ...

An anecdote-driven narrative of the classic footballer's 'DOs & DO NOTs' from the ever-popular Arsenal legend & football pundit Paul Merson aka ' The Merse'. When it comes to advice on the pitfalls of life as a professional footballer Paul Merson can pretty much write the manual. In fact that's exactly what he's done in this hilarious new book which manages to be simultaneously poignant & gloriously funny. Merson was a prodigiously talented footballer in the 80s & 90s gracing the upper echelons of the game
- & the tabloid front pages
- with his breathtakingly skills & larger-than-life off-field persona. His much-publicised battles with gambling drug & alcohol addiction are behind him now & football fans continue to be drawn to his sharp footballing brain & playful antics on Sky Sports cult results show Soccer Saturday. The book delights & entertains with a treasure chest of terrific anecdotes from a man who has never lost his love of football & his inimitable joie de vivre through a 25-year association with the Beautiful Game. The DO NOTs include: DO NOT adopt ' Champagne' Charlie Nicholas as your mentor DO NOT share a house with Gazza DO NOT regularly place GBP30 000 bets at the bookie's DO NOT get so drunk that you can't remember the 90 minutes of football you just played in DO NOT manage Walsall (at any cost) How Not to be a Professional Footballer is a hugely entertaining moving & laugh-out-loud funny story.

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An anecdote-driven narrative of the classic footballers DOs & DO NOTs from the ever-popular Arsenal legend & football pundit Paul Merson aka The Merse. When it comes to advice on the pitfalls of life as a professional footballer Paul Merson can pretty much write the manual. In fact thats exactly what hes done in this hilarious new book which manages to be simultaneously poignant & gloriously funny. Merson was a prodigiously talented footballer in the 80s & 90s gracing the upper echelons of the game
- & the tabloid front pages
- with his breathtakingly skills & larger-than-life off-field persona. His much-publicised battles with gambling drug & alcohol addiction are behind him now & football fans continue to be drawn to his sharp footballing brain & playful antics on Sky Sports cult results show Soccer Saturday. The book delights & entertains with a treasure chest of terrific anecdotes from a man who has never lost his love of football & his inimitable joie de vivre through a 25-year association with the Beautiful Game. The DO NOTs include: DO NOT adopt Champagne Charlie Nicholas as your mentor DO NOT share a house with Gazza DO NOT regularly place GBP30 000 bets at the bookies DO NOT get so drunk that you cant remember the 90 minutes of football you just played in DO NOT manage Walsall (at any cost) How Not to be a Professional Footballer is a hugely entertaining moving & laugh-out-loud funny story.

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As a mother are you comfortable in your skin? Want to know how best to be a stay-at-home or working mum? Babies have very simple needs yet many parents are overwhelmed with elaborate advice on how to meet them. In How Not to F*** Them Up leading child psychologist Oliver James argues that your under-threes do not need training; it's getting your head straight as a parent that's important. Drawing on extensive interviews & the lastest clinical research James identifies three basic types of mum: the Hugger the Organiser & the Fleximum. Outlining the benefits & pitfalls of each How Not to F*** Them Up shows you how to recognise which style suits you best & outlines simple strategies to reconcile personal ambitions with the needs of your family. Empowering & provocative Oliver James will help you make the best choices for bringing up a happy confident child. ...

Her passion is fashion...but shes on a budget! Personal shopper Annie Valentine is about to hit the big time: presenting a glamorous TV makeover series! But too late Annie discovers this is TV on a shoestring. Theyre paying her buttons & her budget is zip. Can she make do with Primark when all she wants is Prada? ...